Factory Original 1973 Sunset Orange Krate

[60sstuff]

There has been a lot of “Krate” activity here recently.

I’ll offer up one of my examples.
A 100% Original CJ = March 1973 Sunset Orange that obviously was not ridden much.
I found this bike about an hour north of me in El Sobrante, Ca in 2002.

I got a phone call from a buddy of mine about this bike so I made the drive up and was blown away by the condition.
Needless to say it was / is a keeper.

Last year for the remarkable Krate series and a one year only color, plus one year only seat.

No 20 foot photos here. Up close details of an amazing disc brake ‘73.
The only touch up I found was the white on the ’S’ on the guard.

 

[indycycling]

Chris, thanks for posting this one again. It's the very nicest Sunset 73 I've ever seen! I'm pretty happy with mine, but it's a far cry from this one.

 

[60sstuff]

Another batch of details on this bike.

1972 rear hub and caliper.
Born with ‘73 dated tires.
Rarely seen factory plastic end nipple for cables.

 

[indycycling]

Amazing detail and condition

What can you tell us about that UU coded front tire? It doesn’t show up in the tire dating charts?

But you do have a Carlisle formated date code in the oval after the UU, most interesting, thanks!

 

[60sstuff]

Mystery, as I’ve seen the UU before but not sure what it means. Obviously a single U stands for Indianapolis for the USRC, then a second letter for the year plus the dots.
Maybe it’s another type of USRC brand of tire?

Try asking one of those experts over on FB.

 

[indycycling]

Mystery, as I’ve seen the UU before but not sure what it means. Obviously a single U stands for Indianapolis for the USRC, then a second letter for the year plus the dots.
Maybe it’s another type of USRC brand of tire?

Try asking one of those experts over on FB.

Thanks Chris, was hoping you may have heard more, so here is what I know:

On FB the theory is that UU is Carlisle who bought US Rubber Company and the U codes for the Indy plant or maybe just select tire molds. US used to be Uniroyal and sometime after 67 ceased bike tire production around 69/70.

So the UU followed by numeric month and year stampings in the oval like the old Carlisle tires would be newer but Made in USA tires - this is what you have here, sounds plausible?

I've seen UU with other markings in the oval, some letters, some illegible, some blank. I have a few UU Superior tires myself, not sure what they are stamped

 

[rfeagleye]

I've heard that same thing, the UU is a Carlisle Tire, but made at the old Uniroyal plant. I beleive tires with a UU are 1973 or after. I've seen a bunch of Schwinn Superiors with a UU 1974 date, they must have made bunch that year.

 

[60sstuff]

I've heard that same thing, the UU is a Carlisle Tire, but made at the old Uniroyal plant. I beleive tires with a UU are 1973 or after. I've seen a bunch of Schwinn Superiors with a UU 1974 date, they must have made bunch that year.

Good stuff!

Thanks for that information guys.

 

[rfeagleye]

Now that I think more about it, maybe what I was told is that Uniroyal actually made them for Carlisle? That was why the mold has a UU on it? Hopefully someone knows more lol

 

[Tom Carroll]

Chris….stunning….just amazing.